Pitch (ascent/descent) - Wikipedia

Pitches on multi-pitch climbing routes Belayer at a solid belay station on the 167-metre (548 ft) multi-pitch route, The Nightcrawler (5.10+, 5-pitch), in Red Rocks.[5] Topo of the 320-metre multi-pitch route, Brych (VI+, 9-pitch), Germany.[6]

A single-pitch route can range from 7 metres (23 ft) to the full length of the climbing rope (by definition, the longest belay of a 'leader' is limited by the length of the rope). In the 1960s to the 1980s, climbing ropes were typically 50 metres (160 ft) in length, however, modern ropes are typically 60–70 metres (200–230 ft) in length (and can extend to 80–100 metres (260–330 ft)), which sets the current theoretical maximum length of a 'pitch'.[7]

On multi-pitch routes, the typical average length of a pitch tends to be in the 30–40 metres (98–131 ft) range, which is well inside the length of the most commonly used modern climbing ropes. This is due to the effect of other factors that also determine the ideal length of pitches (and thus the total number of pitches) on a multi-pitch route, including:[1]

• Belay stations. In multi-pitch climbing, the availability of secure—and comfortable—belay stations is an important factor for climbers; thus where a particularly good belay station presents itself, a pitch might be shortened to avail of it.[1]

• Equipment weight. Longer climbing ropes mean greater weight (and more rope drag) on the lead climber. In addition, the protection requirements of an overly long pitch may require the leader to carry too much equipment (e.g. large SCLDs on a crack climbing route), and thus more manageable pitch lengths are preferred.[1]

• Obstacles and features. Overhangs, roofs, and traverses may require pitches to be broken up to enable the climbers to set themselves up properly. Danger zones (e.g. couloirs prone to avalanche or rockfall) may also have shorter pitches to get both climbers out of the danger area quickly.[1]

• Rope drag. If the line of a pitch is not straight but instead follows an indirect or a zig-zag line (of the climbing protection follows such a line), then the leader will experience rope drag, which can limit the length of the pitch (i.e. the pitch has to be broken up into smaller sections).[1]

• Technical difficulty. If the technical grade of a pitch is high—and particularly relative to the other pitches on the route—then it may be shortened to give the leader a rest after completing it. Conversely, pitches of easier relative technical grades can often be full rope lengths.[1]